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Poison Wings Dance in the Bamboo Thicket
Poison Wings Dance in the Bamboo Thicket (魑魅魍魎の主となれ, Chimimoryō no nushi to nare) is the second episode of the Nurarihyon no Mago anime. Summary At the Nura House, Rikuo Nura, in his day form, wakes up in the middle of the night and walks outside to stare at a sakura tree raining petals. Sitting on one of the branches is his night form. The two reflect on his inability to save Kana earlier at the old Junior High school building. Suddenly, his night form disappears from the tree branch. The next day, Zen and his follower, Hebidayu, of the Yakushi Clan, come to visit the Nura House. On the way, they meet hostile yōkai whom Zen poisons under a highway overpass, to which Hebidayu tells him not to overexert himself. Rikuo had just came home from school when he spots the yōkai eating expensive manju. Thinking his grandfather Nurarihyon went stealing food again (as is his nature as a Nurarihyon), he went to scold him, to which he was told they came from Zen. Rikuo runs off to find Zen in the parlor waiting for him. Many yōkai are staring at them from the ceiling. They reveal Zen to be the leader of the Zen Sect, and that he used to play with Rikuo when he was a child, like brothers. Yuki Onna comes in to serve the two hot tea, but trips and spills it all over Rikuo. Zen suddenly throws a fit over Yuki Onna's subsequent freezing of Rikuo, causing her to run off. Zen immediately changes back to a cordial mood with Rikuo as the two converse about how Rikuo's pranks, the general meetings, and Rikuo taking on the position as Third Heir of the Nura Clan. When Rikuo states he is unable to take on that position as he is only a quarter yōkai, Zen immediately returns to his angry mood and threatens to kill Rikuo with his poisonous feathers. The yōkai come to rescue him from the feathers and Zen leaves, greeting Gyūki along the way and making a heavy wind at the door to the house as Kana comes to visit Rikuo. Karasu Tengu breaks the fourth wall, explaining Zen's traits as a poisonous species and that because of this trait, also makes him physically weak. He also explains the distribution of yōkai over Japan, and the Nura clan's motive to protect weak clans. Rikuo confronts Nurarihyon over inviting Zen to the Nura House despite his condition, which he dismisses over the fact that Rikuo isn't ready to take on his position. Rikuo and Karasu Tengu run off to find Zen to tell him how he feels more directly. Meanwhile, in the middle of a bamboo forest, Hebidayu reveals his betrayal to Zen, despite having exchanged sakazuki with him, claiming that he was betrayed over Zen's lack of influence and how he always put the Nura clan first. Just as Hebidayu was about to kill Zen, Rikuo and Karasu Tengu fend him off. Rikuo transforms into his night form just as Hebidayu was about to attack him, easily slaying him. After the fight, Zen realizes Rikuo was saying the truth when he said he was only a quarter yōkai. He requests Rikuo exchange sakazuki with him, as a pledge of loyalty to the Nura clan. As Zen returns home afterwards, Rikuo, in his night form, declares that he is to become the Third Heir to Karasu Tengu. The next day, Rikuo meets with Kana, Kiyotsugu and Shima at school, as they discuss their night at the old Junior High school building. Yuki Onna and Aotabō, under their aliases, catch up with Rikuo to pass him his lunch from his mother, Wakana. Rikuo runs into a corner with Yuki Onna and both discuss maintaining their secret identities from their peers at school. In class, a new student introduces herself as Yura Keikain. Trivia *Although Rikuo's mother, Wakana, appears in this episode, she doesn't appear in the manga until after the Gyūki arc.